Metal filing-case



F. A. SANDMANN.

METAL FILING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1919.

Patented May 18, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- F. A. SANDMANINQ METAL FILING CASE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1-919.

Patented May 18,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

, FRANK A. SANDMANN, 0F RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY.

METAL FILING-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Application filed July 2, 1919. Serial No. 308,149. l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. SAND- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at liahway, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements in Metal Filing-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metal filing cases such, for instance, as are employed for receiving filing drawers, and for other uses, and especially to filing cases of this character which are arranged to be built up in so-called units.

Objects of my invention are to provide a metal filing case, the units whereof comprise separable parts arranged in novel manner to form a knock-down filing case unit arranged to be readily assembled; further, to provide a novel arrangement of parts comprising a filing drawer and mem bers of the filing case unit arranged to be assembled in novel manner, the said members of the filing. case unit constructed to be conveniently and readily arranged in knock-down relation in a package of small compass, so that the parts may take up small space and weight in shipment or carriage of the same.

Further objects .of my invention are to provide sides for the metal units, and crosspieces for the front and rear ends of the latter, arranged to be releasably connected in novel manner with the sides for assembling the parts in superposed relation; further, to provide a top-member received crosswise of the sides and provided with end-limiting means for limiting the end movements of the drawer received in the unit; further, to provide novel members which comprise a unit and novel means for connecting the members; further, to provide novel means for connecting the units in superposed relation; further, to provide novel means formmnecting adjacent stacks of units; and, further, to provide novel constructions and arrangements of parts.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter:

Figure 1 is a perspective view exemplifyiugmy invention, and showing units which are superposed to form stacks of units, the stacks being arranged side by side, parts of the units being broken away for better illustration of the construction and arrangements of the parts.

my improved device, taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, and partly broken away,

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of my improved device, partly broken away, taken on a line corresponding to the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a erspective view of one of the cross-bars oi my improved device.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the front end of one of the side walls, partly broken away.

Fig. (3 is an inside elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal cross-section, taken on a line corresponding to theline 8-8 of Fig. 2, showing the connecting means between adjacent units.

Fig. 9 is a detail of the locking connection between superposed units, shown in section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a detail in section on the line 1010 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the connecting plate between superposed units.

The sidesof my improved device are represented at 21. These sides are exemplified as duplicates one of the other, comprising a sheet of sheet-metal having its front and rear ends bent to form socketends 22,23, preferably in the form of sheetmetal cylinders, the axes of which are in the median plane of the sheet of metal forming the side. These socket ends form stiffening means for the sheet and sockets for the connecting members hereinafter described.

Cross-bars 25 are provided with posts 26, 27. The posts extend respectively above and below the cross-bar at the respective ends of the cross-bar. These posts are exemplified as pins at the respective ends of the cross-bar, the pin at each end of the cross-bar being integral and extending above and below the cross-bar, through apertures 28'to form the posts, the pins being securely held in said apertures as by means of being driven thereinto, or, if desired, being brazed or welded in place.

The posts extending from the respective upper and lower sides of the crossbar are received in the bores 30 formed in the ends of the side walls of the unit, the bores forming sockets for the posts. Thus the posts 27, which extend downwardly, are received 1* 1g. 2 is a central longitudinal section of within the upper ends of said bores of the ceived thereover. The posts are at the re-.

spective corners of the unit. The fit between said posts and-the inner walls of the sockets is preferably a: snug. fit, so as to maintainthe cross-bars andthe side walls of the unit in right angular relation when the same have been assembled, and the posts extend a substantial distance into the sockets to prevent. tilting of. the-units in use. Tilting 1s 7 also. preventedas"hereinafter described.

' The cross-barsand 'posts are located between-prox mate superposed units, one of thecross-bars, Twitlrthe posts extending up- V plate'havmg downwardly bentside flanges wardly and downwardly therefrom, being located between the flfront ends, and one of 20 the cross-bars; w'i'ththe posts extending up.- wardly and'ydownwardly therefrom, being located betweenthe rear ends of proximate r po ei S" l I-l'1'e"'fr9nt'e side walls; are preferably provided with rece'sses 33,}i1'1 which the cross-bars are received, these .recessesbemg shown at the lower ends-of the respective curled ends of the side. walls 1;;

. Runways -3'5i are provided for each of the units when they-fare intended to receive drawers. A filing drawer is exemplified at 36 as a sheet' metal' drawer. The runways are shown as right-angularly bent sheetmetal strips provided with wings 37, 38. The wings 37 are-.secured to the side walls between" th eci'irle'd ends of the same, the

securing being exemplified as accomplished by means ofgspot welding, such spot-welds being'indicatedga't39 The wings 38 project laterallyfrom the side walls and are arranged "soar-at the respective side walls of a given unit have said wings 38 projecting toward each foth'er, preferably a right anglesto the-sidewalls. for forming helves for the drawers,

Each of the runways is provided with anti-frictiolrnieans, exemplified as a roller 41. The roller has axles 42. The shelf is provided with an opening 43. the side walls of which are provided with depressions 44 formed up therein-for forming bearings for the axles 42 of the roller. A retainingpiece/l6 of sheet-metal has an opening 47 struck up therein, the metal of the opening being struck down in the form of flanges 48. Theside walls lfl'at the respective sides of the opening in the retaining-piece are received over th'eaxles of the roller which have been received in the bearings 44 in theshelf, the flanges 48 extending through the opening'43 in said shelf, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, and being then bent away fromeach ,other against the lower faces'of said shelf,fla s shown in full lines 1n a-n'd the rear ends of the said figure, forfixing' said retaining piece in position above ,the axles-ofthe roller so I as to maintainthe roller in its bearings. The upright wings 37 .of theangle strips are received in the space between the inner portions of the curled'ends 22, 23, of the side walls, as shown in Figs. and 6, the respective ends of a -thelaterally extending wings of the runwaysrestingon the respective front and rear cross-bars25.

The drawer is provided with a rear wall 51 and a front wall f52 ,-which" respectively preferably extend to I approximately the height between cross-bars'fof superposed units. i

A top-member 53 is provided for the unit, the top-member comprisingga sheet-metal 5 4,; a downwardly i bent rear j flange 55, and a downwardly bent. front-flange, thelatter comprising a downwardly bent section 56, a rearwardly bent sectio" tending from the lower endof 'ltlie f. and a downwardly bent sectionjfa U ending downwardly from the rear end? of the rearwardlv bent section-5 Q The downwardly bent-fi erably connected'iwiththeupper ends of the side wallsbetweenthejcurled ends thereof. as by means of screws'fil received through previously formed registeringlholes 62. 63, respectively in the upperfends of the side walls and the downwardly bent side flanges of the top, nuts 64 being-received over the threaded-end of the screws'for clamping the upper ends ofthe side 'walls and downwardly extending {flanges together. The corners of the top are'provided with recesses (56. 67, through-whichthe-connecting posts between superposed {units are received.

The-rear end ofthie" awer forms a closed reargwaltfor the uifiji .an d'gthe front endof the drawer forms a "closed front wall. for the unit. When the drawer is. closed, the upper end'fof-the rear wall ,is received against the downwardly extending rear flange 55 of the top, and the upper 'end of the front wall of the drawer is received in 'the rabbet 69 at the front end of thetop formed by the rearwardly extending flange 5.7and the downwardly extending flange 158. The inside of the top adjacent to its front end is provided with a downwardly extending flange 71 preferably formed on a'metal strip 72 suitably secured to the under face of said top, as by means of beiugspot welded thereto, as indicated by the spot-welds 73.

When the drawer isclosed, the side walls inner faces: of the front and rear curled ends' of the side walls. The closed bottom of the drawer, received over the. laterally extend.-

ing. wings of the runways for the same,

forms a closed lower end for said unit in connection with said runwa s Foot-pieces76 are received over the lower posts 27" for forming feet on which the stack of units is supported; These feet preferably compr i-sexa comparatively short piece of metal, in which a holey77 is bored lengtln wise of the foot-piece, the downwardly extending lowermost posts at the respective corners of the lowermost unit' being respectively received in the holes of these footpieces. f

With my improved construction; the acquiring of filing space may be begun by the acquisition of a single unit, which may be arranged to be shipped in knock-down form,

\so as to minimize theexpense of carriage.

This knock-down unit may consist of two side walls, having the runways thereon, a.

pair of cross-bars having the posts extending up and down therefrom, foot-pieces, and atop. s

In assembling the unit the cross-bars have their downwardly extending posts pushed into the foot-pieces, the respective socket ends of the side walls havingtheir" lower ends assembled over the upwardlyextending posts of said cross-bars,-the top then being put in place, preferably with the downwardly extending side flanges the'reof re-;-

ceived inside the side walls-of the unit, the latter side walls and said downwardly ex tending flanges being connected by the screws and nuts. The framing-is thereby made ready for use, the drawer being slipped into the unit along the runways.

In slipping in the drawerthe front end of the drawer is tilted upwardly, so that the upper end of its rear wall isreceived behind the downwardly. extending flange 71 at the front end of the inside of theunit, the drawer being then pushed rearwardly. If desired, cross-pieces havingdownwar'dly extending posts may be received across the front and rear ends ofthe upper portion of the unit, withsaid downwardly extending posts received in the upper; ends of the curled forward and rear ends of the side walls for additionally holding'the parts together, although I have found in practice such upper end connection is not essential.

If it is' desired tosuperpose another unit on top of the unit previously formed, crossbars 25, provided with upwardly extending posts 26 and downwardly extending posts 27 are placed across the top of the. front and rear portionsof the unitpreviously formed, the downwardly extending posts being received in the sockets 1n the upper end of the previously formed unit.

The additional side walls are thenreceived over the upwardly extending posts at the respective front and rear ends of the unit, forming the side walls for the superposed unit, a top being secured to the upper ends of said side walls as previously described.

When the units are stacked, additional connecting means may be provided, connecting the rear ends of'superposed units, ex-

emplified as a plate 80 having lugs 81 struck up therefrom. These lugs are spaced from the. plate andare-preferably parallel with the plate. The side walls are, at the rear portions of their upper and lower ends, provided with outwardly struck lugs 82, which are preferably spaced from said side walls and parallel with said side walls. The lugs 81 of the connecting plate are received behind thelugs 82 at the proximate edges of superposed units, with the plate extending past the joint between the units, and hold the units to prevent a tilting between the rear ends of the same, for instance, when a weighted drawer 1s pulled out. The connecting means are located in the space be tween the front and rear socket ends of the side walls.

It may be desirable to connect stacks of units located side by side, or arranged back to back. I provide ready means for connecting the same, shown exemplified as connecting strips 84, the respective ends of which have separated apertures 85, 86, formed therein. The aperture 86 is exemplified as a slot forming a' hook-end 87. These connecting strips are thin strips of sheet-metal, which may in fact be as thin as a thirtysecond of an inch, as the tensile strength of metal of this character is great. The posts of laterally adjacent sections or of sections arranged back to back, are received through the apertures 1n the connecting strips, thereby tying the neighboring stacks of units together.

The-connecting strips are shown located on the tops of the cross-bars, with the upwardly extending posts extending therethrough. The strips may be connected with the first stack of units formed by passing the posts through the apertures 85, and may, until a neighboring stack of units 15 formed,

.beswung inwardly to place their hook ends a djacent stacks of units and avoids the presence of spaces or cracks to admit dust or dirt. 1 a

I have in'Fig. 8 shown an arrangement whereby adjacent stacks of units located side by side and back to back may be connected, connecting strips connecting the posts of laterally adjoining units and of units arranged back to back.

My invention provides ready. and economical means of few parts whereby rigid units may be formed, whereby units may be superposed in rigid relation to resist strains in anydirection, and whereby adjacent stacks of units may be readily connected.

Having thus fully described my inven tion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A metal filing case unit comprising sheet-metal side walls provided with upright end socket bends, a cross-bar, and posts having connection with said cross-bar and received in the bores of said upright end socket bends.

2. A metal filing case unit comprising sheet-metal side walls provided with upright end socket bends, across-bar, posts having connection with said cross-bar and received in the bores of said upright end socket bends,-

and a top member having connection with said side walls.

3. A metal filing case comprising units= arranged to be superposed, said units comprising upright side walls having upright socket bends at their ends, cross-bars,"and posts extendin up and down above and below said cross-bars and received in the bores of superposed socket bends.

4. A metal filing case comprising units arranged to be superposed, said units comprising side walls having upright end socket bends, a cross-bar, said side walls provided with recesses at said socket bends for receiving said cross-bar, and posts extending up and down above and below said cross-bar and received in the bores of superposed socket bends.

5. A metal filing case unit comprising sheet-metal side walls having upright socket bends at their front and rear ends, a crossbar between the front ends of said side walls, a cross-bar between the rear ends-of said side walls, posts extending from said cross-bars into said respective socket bends, and a top-member having connections with said side walls.

6. A knock-down metal filing case unit comprising sheetmetal side walls having upright socket bends at their front and rear ends, a pair of cross-bars arranged to be respectively received between the lower portions of the front and rear ends of said side walls, said cross-bars provided with posts at their respective ends arranged to be releasably received in the bores of said socket bends, a top-member, and releasable connecting means between said top-member and. the upper portions of said side walls.

7. A metal filing case comprising units, said respective units comprisin r sheet-metal side walls having-upright soc ct bends at their ends, cross-bars between superposed side. walls, and I posts having connections with said cross-bars and extending up and 'down'from said cross-bars and received in the bores of said socket bends.

8. A metal filing case comprising units, said respective units comprising sheet-metal side walls haying upright sockets at their ends, said side walls provided with recesses "ing up'anddowndrom said cross-bars and received inthe ores of said socket bends of superposedpai'rsof side walls, top-members betweenthe upper ends of said side walls of said respective' p'airs 'of side walls, and

'means for ,rigidl connecting said top-members and said si e walls.

10. A metal filing case unit comprising sheet-metal sidewalls provided with upright curled ends, a cross-bar between said side walls, posts rigid with said cross-bar and received in said curls, and runways for drawers fixed to said side walls and arranged to rest\on said cross-bar.

11. In a metal filing case, the combination of adjacent stacks of superposed units,

said respective units comprising sheet-metal sides having upright end socket bends, a cross-bar, and upright posts having connections with saidcross-bar and received in the bores of said socket bends, and connecting strips between adjacent stacks of units through which said posts are received for connecting adjacent stacks.

12. In a metal filing case, the combination of adjacent stacks of superposed units, said respective units comprising sheet-niotal sides having upright socket bends at their ends, cross-bars, and upright posts having connections .with said cross-bars and received in the bores of said socket bends, and connecting strips arranged to have said posts received therethrougli for connecting adjacent stacks arranged selectively side by side and back to back.

13. In combination, a metal filing case unit comprising sheet metal side walls having upright curls at their front and rear ends, cross-bars between said ends, posts exvided with drawer runways extending toward each other, and a top-member secured to said side-walls for forming a unit with open front and rear ends, and a drawer arranged to be moved on said runways, said drawer provided with a rear wall and a front wall, said top-member provided with a depending rear flange with which said rear wall coacts to close the rear end of said unit, and said top-member provided with a depending front flange with which said front wall coacts to close the front end of said unit.

14. A metal filing case comprising units arranged to be superposed, said units comprising side walls having upright end socket bends, a cross-bar, posts extending up and down above and below said cross-bar and received in the bores of superposed socket bends and connecting means extending up and down between proximate superposed units, the proximate portions of superposed side walls of said superposed units and said connecting means provided with coacting retaining parts to connect said superposed units in up and down relation.

15. In a metal filing case, the combination of adjacent stacks of superposed units, said respective units comprising sheetmetal sides having upright end socket bends, a cross-bar, upright posts having connections with said cross-bar and received in the bores of said socket bends, and a connecting hook between adjacent stacks of units provided with a pivot-aperture in which a post of one of said stacks is received, and a hook-end arranged to be received about a proximate upright post.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK A. SANDMANN.

Witnesses:

ABBIE E. HILLMAN, IRENE CAMPBELL. 

